Truth,

I personally didn't like AutoX that much in the beginning- it was a way to test out my car for a cheap initial investment, and I had a bunch of friends who do it. I eventually got comfortable in the car and the "learning" aspect was what got me really interested. People who hate autox just say "oh its short and boring cuz you stand around and in one gear " etc etc, are missing the point of it in my opinion. The real satisfaction for me isn't the speed and turning, but the ability to learn driving basics, learning more about the car (and limits) in a safe environment.

don't forget when you do learn your car how close the times get and trying to shave off some extra time... or getting ahead of your "competitor". :lol: I think its fun just thinking about that and watching.

Don't you have to take an instructors course and pay a one time fee of something like $6k to be an HPDE instructor? Not sure if that's all groups but Rob was telling me about it the other day.

I'm totally with you on that. I haven't got the chance to take my Subaru out to a track day yet but I've attended HPDE's at pocono a couple times. I love the variety of cars you see in the paddocks. You see such a wide spectrum of racers...from the weekend warrior local amateur guys all the way to the full out race teams. It's very cool to be that close to some real top notch cars.

I'm definitely going to attempt to make it out to a track day this year....hopefully with TST!

+1. Great post!

I can only imagine that "Rob" (who ever that is) was confusing how much an instructor's clinic costs with the average amount an instructor candidate will have spent on seat time to even be considered for taking a club's instructor clinic (30 days @ $200/day = $6000 [that's pretty low actually]).

Some organizations require a pretty deep track driving resume to consider allowing someone to be an instructor. NASA likes to see 40-60 days, but will consider candidates on a case by case basis after seeing a resume. NASA and PCA require instructors to take and pass a two or three day instructor's clinic that are pretty damn intensive, and many candidates do not pass the first time. Clinics range from $400 to $800 for the whole weekend.

I instruct with SCCA, TrackDaze, and a couple other small clubs, but I haven't taken NASA's or PCA's clinics before. I have more than enough seat time to get in to either program, I just haven't made it a priority--I just did the SCCA Competition School and got my comp license. Many of my friends and team mates are certified instructors in both clubs, so they have been priming me for taking a clinic for a while--it's on the schedule for me for next spring.

I would start out with Auto-X, and learn some car control in a save way. If you ever decide to try it let me know and I can help instruct you, it makes it more fun when somebody helps you out and you pick it up faster.



Simmons

This.

And if you get the chance let Simmons take you for a ride....if getting a ride from Simmons doesn't put a smile on your face I don't know what will. :eek::mrgreen:

yeah I was surprised someone could drive so well while drinking miller light.

Well here are my 2 cents since I have done alot of both. Track days are definately more fun. No doubt. You couldn't wipe the smile off my face for weeks after my first one. But AutoX are great too. I mean for a few bucks you get to spend the day with other car people flogging your car. What is better than that. And you can find one almost every weekend. And it isn't just a few minutes of driving and the rest standing around. You can learn alot watching other drivers and how they do things. It is also a great place to learn about what you can and can't do with your car that might not be adviseable to try first on a track. That and they help with slow speed corners which is a good place to make up time on a track. Doing AutoX also helps learn track proceedures. Some may thing there is no reason to know much more than flagging and some don't even care about that. But learn some of that and maybe become a flagger for the SCCA and get a free day at a race with a track side view. There is a ton more to racing than you and your car.

I've only done HPDE once a couple weeks ago, and now I'm hooked. So I've basically cleared out my calendar this summer and going to as many as I can. I'm planning on doing 3-4 more two-day events before season is over. It is a little pricey, but considering I've spent more money on a weekend partying, it's really not that bad lol

Actually... it is just a few minutes.

My first track day was last month and it was amazing. I have not tried autox yet. But I am joining the PCA and going to more events this summer.